By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FORMER National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest yesterday castigated the Progressive Liberal Party, saying had it banded together with the previous Ingraham administration the scourge of crime would be less of a challenge for law enforcement today.

His comments came after Prime Minister Perry Christie admitted he may have “unwisely” blamed the FNM for crime while he was in opposition from 2007 to 2012.

Mr Turnquest was severely criticised for a rise in crime during the FNM’s last term in office, with many in the PLP laying the blame for the problem at his feet.

He called today’s crime situation “saddening.”

The former Mount Moriah MP also told The Tribune he had concerns that the Royal Bahamas Police Force had become “heavily politicised” under this administration.

He said unless the Christie administration could rid the police force of politics, Bahamians could expect to “be in for a bumpy ride”.

“Depoliticise the police force,” Mr Turnquest said when contacted for comment. “The organisation in my opinion is more political than it has ever been.

“This is my country, it is all of ours. I have children who will also have children one day. We have got to develop the Bahamas to the stage where regardless of who is in the government we cannot condone criminal behaviour at all.

“When I was minister of national security, they said all manner of things about me. There are now two people doing the job and you don’t hear anything about either of them.

“They said I didn’t know what I was talking or what I was doing. But back then if we all had banded together to stop crime we would have been in a much better position.”

When asked whether he felt vindicated following Mr Christie’s comments, Mr Turnquest said he was not in the business of vindication.

Mr Christie made the comments in the first part of a pre-taped interview on State of Affairs that was broadcast on ZNS on Monday night.

During the show, Mr Christie also appeared to be disappointed with the work of the RBPF, saying Commissioner Ellison Greenslade and his team must understand the “stake” politicians have in crime reduction.

In 2014, the country recorded 122 murders, three more than the 119 murders police recorded in 2013.

The occurrence of crime in the country drew considerable push back from the PLP while they were in opposition.

In the lead up the May 2012 general election, the party boldly campaigned on the promise to curb crime and control the outbreak of murders in the country.

In a move that sparked much backlash, the PLP posted billboards at several high traffic tourist areas of New Providence highlighting murder statistics. The billboards read, “Under the FNM government 490 plus murders.”

It was a move that Mr Christie previously said he did not regret, but if he had the choice to do it again, he would not have.

He made the comments on the anniversary of the PLP’s second year in government. At that time, Mr Christie said he “accepted and acknowledged” that crime is “a matter for all”, not just the government.